The Dillon tribune., 1887-07-08
THE CHARGE At clNcHA'"ACca.
4 Statement ur What :h. SOLDIERS D'.
for Tl,eu,,cl,c~ " ith"ut Orders.

- StnSemenf at What 'n" S'''''~ ''''
for Thrm.cl.c. Without Orders.
One Of the splendid battles of TIE Wy
vas that of Chattanooga. In i'' ~. -:
Gen. Fullerton tells the sso'; nj tie li:';'-
OF the signal guns To take the Tl.ic pits AZ
the base of the ridge occupied D: l'ra2:.
and the rush Of 20, OOU men. In" general
says: The enemy were thrown INTO r"l-
fusion and took p-acpitate flight mp the
ridge" lie adds: MANY prisoners and
large number of small arms were cap
tured." And now follows clear state
ment Of what the soldiers did Tor them
selves-a most instructive aud brilliant
passage:
The order of the commanding general
had now been fully and most successfully
carried out. But it did not 60 far enough
to satisfy these brave men. who thought
the time had come to tinish the battle Of
Chick: manga. There was halt of but
few minutes, to take breath and to re-
form the lines; then, with sudden I'M
pulse, all started up the side OF the ridge.
Not commanding officer had given the
order to advance The men who carried
the musActs had taken the matter into
their own hands, had moved of their own
accord. Officers, catching their spirit,
first followed. then led. There was no
thought cf protecting Hanks, though the
enemy's line could be seen stretching be-
yond on either side: there was no thought
OF support or reserves.
'IAs soon as this movement was seen
from Orchard Knob Grant quickly turned
to Thomas, who stood by his side, and I
heard him angrily say: Thomas, who or.
dered those men up the ridge'' Thomas
replied in his usual slow, quiet manner:
I don't know; did not Then, address.
ing Gen. Gordon Granger, he said: Did
you ortler them mp, Grangcr:' No. said
Granger; they started up without orders.
When those fellows get started all hell
can't stop them.' Gen Grant said some
thing to the effect that somebody would
suffer II it did not turn out well, and then,
turning round, stoically watched the
ridge. He gave no further orders.
'As soon rs Granger had replied to
Thomas he turntsl to mc. his chief OF
staff, and said: Ride ut once to Wood and
then to Sheridan and ask them if they or.
dercd their nicu up the ridge and tell
them, If they can take it, tn push ahead
AS l was mounting Granger added: 1T is
hot over there. and you may not get
through. shall send Capt. Avery to
Sheridan, and other officers after both Of
YOU As fast as my horse could carry
me rode first to Gen. Wood and delivered
the message. Il didn't order them up,
said WoHl; they started up on their own
account. aud they arc going up, too. Tell
Granger, II we are supported, we will take
and hold the ridge" AS soon as reached
Gen. Wood. Capt. Avery got to Gen.
Sheridan and delivered his message. Il
didn't order them up said Sheridan,
but we arc going to take the ridge He
then asked Avery for his flask and waved
1t at Il group Of Confederate officers stand
ing Just in front of Bragg's headquarters
with the salutation, Here's at you: At
once two guns-the Lady Breckenridge
and the Lady Buckner-in front OF
Bragg's headquarters were fired at Sheri-
dan and the group Of officers about him.
Ono shell struck SO near as to throw dirt
over Sheridan and Avery. All, said the
general, that is nngenerous; shall take
those guns for that and he did, and q
g0od many more"